Ukraine Strikes St. Petersburg Oil Terminal in Drone Raid
Ukraine deployed over 350 drones to strike an oil terminal in St. Petersburg and the Kronstadt naval base on Wednesday, wounding several people on the opening day of the city's economic forum. EU High Representative Kaja Kallas said Ukraine intensified attacks on oil facilities because "oil finances the war in Ukraine." Separately, British intelligence reported over 100 incidents of Russian glide bombs accidentally striking Russian or Russian-controlled territory in both 2024 and 2025.
Columbia Scientists Precisely Edit Human Embryo DNA
Columbia University scientists have achieved unprecedented accuracy editing DNA in early human embryos using base editing, a newer method that successfully altered two genes linked to heart disease and hemoglobin production. The research, led by geneticist Dieter Egli, caused less DNA damage than earlier CRISPR techniques, though some embryos became mosaics with different cells retaining different gene versions. The work was supported by Nucleus Genomics, a company that screens IVF embryos and has faced criticism for promoting genetic optimisation of babies. Bioethicists have warned that harmful effects may not become evident until after birth.
First humans trial AI-designed coronavirus vaccine
British researchers from Cambridge and Southampton have completed the first human safety trial of an entirely AI-designed vaccine, testing it on 39 healthy volunteers between December 2021 and September 2023. The vaccine uses a computer-designed "super-antigen" to target shared features across multiple coronaviruses including SARS-CoV-2, SARS, and related bat viruses, with no significant safety concerns reported. Immune responses were modest, prompting plans for a Phase II trial involving over 200 participants. Researchers believe the same AI platform could be applied to develop universal vaccines against influenza, bird flu, and viral haemorrhagic fevers such as Ebola.
Senate passes $70B for Trump's immigration crackdown
The Senate passed legislation early Friday providing the Department of Homeland Security with an additional $70 billion for immigration enforcement. The vote was 52-47, with no Democratic support and only one Republican dissent. The funding will support Trump's deportation crackdown and augment roughly $100 billion in unspent DHS money from last year. The bill now moves to the House, where Republican leaders say it will not be taken up before next week. Critics call a controversial "anti-weaponization" fund a "slush fund" for compensating Trump's allies.
Kim tours nuclear site as Xi plans rare Pyongyang visit
Kim Jong Un toured a newly operational nuclear material production factory and called for "exponential" expansion of the North Korean arsenal. Production capacity has doubled over the past five years. South Korea identified the facility as a uranium-enrichment site at Yongbyon. Analysts linked the visit to Chinese President Xi Jinping's upcoming trip to Pyongyang on June 8, suggesting it demonstrates denuclearization is impossible. North Korea codified an "automatic nuclear launch" policy into law this month.
Trump Eyes Government Equity Stakes in AI Firms
Trump said his administration is exploring direct equity stakes in major AI companies including OpenAI, Anthropic, and xAI, framing it as a "partnership with the American public." The proposal embraces legislation championed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, though OpenAI CEO Sam Altman had privately pitched a government ownership stake to administration officials in April. Tech layoffs in 2026 have surpassed 142,000 while software developer employment for workers aged 22 to 25 has fallen roughly 20 percent from its 2024 peak.
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- Gaokao sign-ups fall 450,000 as China's job crisis deepens. Registrations for China's university entrance exam have dropped for the second consecutive year as more students opt for vocational training, with youth unemployment above 16% and a record 12.7 million graduates joining the labour market this summer.
- Eurozone Economy Shrinks as Iran War Blocks Key Oil Route. The bloc's first contraction in two years has been fuelled by the Strait of Hormuz blockade, pushing inflation to 3% and leaving the ECB under pressure to raise rates even as the economy stutters.
- NASA orders ISS astronauts to shelter as air leak worsens. Five crew members were told to wait inside SpaceX's Crew Dragon as a precaution while Russian cosmonauts repair a leak in the Russian segment, a problem linked to cracks in a transfer tunnel that has persisted for years.
- CDC Warns DRC Ebola Outbreak Could Become Largest Ever. With 452 cases and 82 deaths, the DRC outbreak—already the third-largest in history—could surpass the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic if containment fails, WHO warns.
- Simon Kuper warns of World Cup 2026's perfect storm. Ticket prices nearly quadruple Qatar 2022 levels, drawing investigations by state attorneys general, while FIFA's expansion to 48 teams risks dull matches. But Kuper argues the beautiful game itself will be the tournament's saving grace.